I know that we keep having this argument – and most of us have argued it until we are blue in the face – so many times but with the latest England squad just around the corner surely this it the time that Spineless Steve makes David James the England no.1 again…
Come on fellas, I know people have argued he is ‘too old’ but we all know that there is not a better English keeper around at the moment, with the experience required to take on such a job at this time.
Yep he is 37 but there is absolutely no reason why he could not still be the no.1 in at least 2 years time for the 2010 world cup finals, he is as fit as anyone, as agile and mobile as ever and most importantly as hungry as ever to play for club and country. He has the command of his area – which puts confidence in the defenders in front of him – that none other does, need I go on!
Paul Robinson is low on confidence and out of form, he has admitted as much last week, so with Croatia being a must win game – even though that might not be enough – Spineless Steve cannot afford not to make this call.
We all know James is the best English keeper around and has been for a couple of years – even before he came here – and this was proved none more so than at the weekend against Newcastle, even though we won 4-1.
He made a fantastic save at 0-0, had that gone in things could have been so different?
Even the unfortunate Sol Campbell own goal had seen him make a fine double save, getting down to deny Charles N’Zogbia before getting up to deny Michael Owen before the ball went in off Campbell. He also came for and claimed everything – either catching or punching away – making a couple of other saves too in particular a fantastic point blank range save from Obafemi Martins’ header.
Scott Carson, Robert Green, Ben Foster, even Robinson – perhaps – and the others are the future, but not the immediate future. If Spineless Steve has an ounce of courage about him he will grow a pair and take out Robinson and replace him with James.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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